Local historian recalls original Bluenose stop in North Sydney

NORTH SYDNEY — It was early September 1939.

Five-year-old Ron MacDonald was getting ready to go to school for the first time — the North Sydney Exhibition had opened, the original Bluenose came to North Sydney and war had been declared that week.

“The original Bluenose was important to Nova Scotia and all of Canada,” said the retired journalist and well-known local historian. “I recall my father took a couple of my sisters and myself out on the Bluenose. She was giving trips out past the head of Sydney byte and if I remember correctly, it was a nice day.”

MacDonald was quick to add that as a five-year-old he was disappointed when he saw Capt. Angus Walters.

“He wore an old slouch hat and was dressed in ordinary clothes.

As the captain I expected him to be well-dressed,” MacDonald said. “Some years later I had an interview with Capt. Walters and I told him about my disappointment. He said ‘I didn’t need it, I was captain.’”

MacDonald said the original Bluenose was a fishing vessel, adding that she was still impressive.

“She didn’t have anything fancy. There was the foc’sle where the men stayed and aft was the captain’s quarters. She carried about 12 dories on her, but that day she only had a couple on board.”

Looking back, MacDonald said the Bluenose arrived in North Sydney in the afternoon, and left later in the evening.

“I never did see her again, that was the only time,” said MacDonald, whose grandfather was a deep sea captain and responsible for building the ballast heap in North Sydney.

MacDonald was a reporter working in Halifax when the Bluenose II was launched.

“I was on board the Bluenose II lots of times. I’m so glad they have her back on the water because Nova Scotia identifies so much with the Bluenose.”